RADIO
As we head into the unofficial “second half” of the NBA season, nearly every team still has goals that they need to reach. Some may still be undecided on what they need to do and that’s what we’re here for. We’ll rank every team from worst to first while giving every team a goal they should fight to achieve before season’s end. With that said, let’s get rolling.
30. Washington Wizards
Goal: Continue to let their young players develop
It’s no secret that the Wizards aren’t in it for the wins this season as they’re clearly positioned to be in the running for the top pick of the 2025 draft. Without any chance at competing it’s clear they should let their young players develop further. Bilal Coulibaly, Carlton Carrington and Alexandre Sarr need to be the priority for Washington through the rest of the season. The addition of Khris Middleton at the deadline may threaten playing time for Carrington, but with a player option on deck next year for Middleton it will be hard to see him being a part of their future. Develop the young guys and land another future star in the draft.
29. Utah Jazz
Goal: Boost the trade value of John Collins
John Collins is no stranger to trade rumors. It was an annual occurrence when he was in Atlanta and he continues to be in rumors in Utah. Even this season he was lined up to head to Sacramento until the Kings dealt away De’Aaron Fox according to the rumor mill. Collins has a player option coming up in the offseason. At $26.5M it’s hard to see him opting out. If the Jazz continue to let him be a team leader it should certainly boost his value for a return in the offseason. His 18.1 PPG this season marks his best season since the bubble when he averaged 21.6 PPG while his 42.3% three-point percentage is a career high. Continue letting him cook and see who may bite in the offseason.
28. Charlotte Hornets
Goal: See if Miles Bridges can become a leader alongside LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller
Charlotte doesn’t have much to lose this season given their current position as Brandon Miller is out for the season and LaMelo Ball has dealt with injuries on and off throughout the year. It’s thrust Miles Bridges into the spotlight in Charlotte. On the surface he’s providing the Hornets what the team is used to, putting up about 20 PPG with seven RPG. But the Hornets have a -7.15 net rating with Bridges on the court without Ball or Miller. With all three on the Hornets have a positive net rating. So the trio can work, but given their injury-riddled season they need Bridges to step up more.
27. Brooklyn Nets
Goal: Improve draft positioning
The Nets are going to have a ton of cap space to spend in the offseason, putting them in one of the better positions to rebuild in the NBA. It’s why they were projected to tank prior to season’s start. They had a surprisingly good start but are starting to come back down to form. One big decision they’ll have is what to do with Cam Thomas, who becomes a restricted free agent in the offseason. If Brooklyn is unwilling to match what another team may be willing to offer Thomas then they’ll be pushed further into rebuild mode. Getting a better draft pick makes sense whether Thomas stays or leaves. Therefore it may be in Brooklyn’s best interests to tank and improve their draft positioning as the season winds down. They’re only 1.5 GB of the play-in, but making a run for it may not be smart for the future given the current roster construction.
26. New Orleans Pelicans
Goal: Continue to let Trey Murphy III develop as a leader
With how New Orleans’ season has unfolded, it’s no secret that tanking and developing is the smart route for the franchise to go. Without Brandon Ingram, the uncertainty of Zion Williamson’s future and the constant injuries they’ve faced, it’s in their best interests to let Trey Murphy III develop into a superstar. Factor in that CJ McCollum only has one season left on his contract, making him a potential trade target next season, you’ll need another superstar alongside Dejounte Murray. Ideally you’d love to see Williamson play out the remainder of his contract in New Orleans, but that’s no guarantee given his history. Let Murphy become a leader to be ready for a potential world without McCollum and Williamson.
25. Toronto Raptors
Goal: Decide between tanking and making a run at the play-in
Though they’re in a worse position to make a run at the play-in compared to a team like Brooklyn, Toronto faces an awkward scenario. When healthy they have the talent to compete for the play-in, especially once you factor in Brandon Ingram’s presence to the roster. But they currently hold the #5 draft pick. That’s certainly an ideal piece to hold onto, but how much are they willing to risk for a play-in spot? They can realistically jump Brooklyn in the standings and you would expect Chicago to fall out as well. Philadelphia, Atlanta and Orlando all feel like volatile candidates for the play-in, giving Toronto a shot if they want it. They also have the easiest remaining schedule. Deciding which they prefer is the big decision in Toronto.
24. Chicago Bulls
Goal: Find an identity, improve draft positioning
The Bulls finally made an apparent move to head towards a rebuild after shipping Zach LaVine to Sacramento. But they were unable to find a trade partner for Nikola Vucevic, or simply wanted to keep him around a little longer. With one more year remaining on his contract before he becomes an unrestricted free agent, it’s hard to imagine a future in Chicago where Vucevic stays. That marks a major turning point for the Bulls, who don’t exactly have much of an identity right now as they’ve become suspect on offense while the defense has remained miserable. Their best bet is likely to tank their way to the #5 overall pick while focusing on the development of Ayo Dosunmu. The 25-year-old has one more season on his contract before becoming an unrestricted free agent and Chicago will need to decide if he’s the guy they’ll want to build their future around.
23. Portland Trail Blazers
Goal: Make a run for the play-in
Without many big contract decisions to make until the 2026-27 season, Portland is in a position to make a surprising run at the play-in. They currently sit 5 GB of the Warriors for the final spot. In front of them are Phoenix and San Antonio, who are certainly more likely candidates to land a spot in the play-in but also face a bit of uncertainty. There isn’t much to lose for the Blazers here who rattled off 10 wins in an 11 game span before losing three straight headed into the break. While teams in front of them have bigger expectations, Portland is playing with house money. That makes them dangerous if they can regain their form from a couple weeks ago.
22. Atlanta Hawks
Goal: Make the play-in
The play-in is a fairly regular occurrence for the Hawks and they currently sit in the 8-seed with a four game lead over the Bulls, who we’ve already mentioned are likely to tank and fall out. This puts Atlanta in a fairly advantageous spot to stay in the play-in, though they do face a scenario where they’ve got less talent now than they did before the deadline after shipping out De’Andre Hunter and Bogdan Bogdanovic. Keeping their spot in the play-in would signify that they’re well ahead of schedule and will be in a great position next season once Jalen Johnson returns. They don’t need to make much noise, but it’d go a long way in trying to keep Trae Young happy in Atlanta before his player option in the 2026-27 season.
21. Philadelphia 76ers
Goal: Make the play-in at all costs, then make the playoffs
The real goal here is to make the play-in. Anything less would be an absolute disaster for the Sixers after landing Paul George this offseason. The injury-riddled start and chaotic nature to Joel Embiid’s recovery at the beginning of the season may be excused, but now that they’re healthy (or healthier) there’s no excuse for this team not to make the play-in at the very least. Embiid’s numbers have been as gaudy as we’re used to, but he still ranks sixth in EPM according to Dunks & Threes. Yet the Sixers are just 8-9 when he’s active. It’s not what we’re used to and they need to turn it around. There’s no excuse for them not to jump the Bulls and Nets in the standings and they should put themselves in a good position to advance through the play-in after that. Anything less would be an abject failure for the Sixers.
20. Miami Heat
Goal: At least get home court in the play-in
Now that there’s at least clarity in Miami after the Jimmy Butler saga, Miami finds itself in the 9-seed in the East. That sounds like it’d be a daunting climb to at least get home court in the play-in, but they’re just a half game back of Orlando in the seven seed. A jump up certainly shouldn’t be out of the question for Miami as the teams ahead of them, Orlando and Atlanta, face some questions in terms of their roster. Though the Heat look different now, they seem to have a more stable group that’s able to handle the tasks in front of them. A jump into the 6-seed to avoid the play-in altogether may be tougher as they’re three games back of Detroit for the 6-seed but landing home court in the play-in should be enough to get them into the playoffs.
19. Phoenix Suns
Goal: Make the play-in
Now that all the trade drama has subsided, there should be less distractions in Phoenix. Their experiment with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal hasn’t quite worked out the way they hoped it would, but they’re in a solid enough spot to at least make a run to the play-in. They sit just 1.5 GB of Golden State, but two of the teams in front of the Warriors face a bit of uncertainty (Sacramento, Dallas). They’ll be fighting hard to make it as well, and this task is likely tougher than it appears for Phoenix, but their goal needs to be to make the play-in.
18. San Antonio Spurs
Goal: Make the play-in
Same goal as Phoenix, though they’re playing with a little more house money. San Antonio doesn’t face some of the same expectations that Phoenix will face, but they’ve still got a bit behind them after the trade for De’Aaron Fox. They’re 2-3 with Fox active. With both Wembanyama and Fox on the floor the Spurs hold a -1.95 net rating, yet when Fox is on the floor without Wemby it increases to a +15.34 net rating. There are still clearly things to work on with the Wemby-Fox combo but that should improve as we head down the stretch. Making a run for the play-in is realistic for the Spurs and should be their top goal for the remainder of the season.
17. Orlando Magic
Goal: Don’t fall out of the play-in
The Magic, Heat and Hawks are all sitting in a pretty solid position in terms of the play-in bracket. However, Orlando has been on a free fall since the start of 2025. They’re posted a -7.9 net rating since the beginning of January, third worst in the league. Miami and Atlanta haven’t been much better, with -4.8 and -4.3 net ratings respectively, but Orlando’s downfall has been much sharper. The good news is both Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner are finally back healthy and playing, though Orlando’s 5-12 since Banchero returned and 4-7 since Wagner returned. Magic fans have to hope the All-Star break helps them get a fresh start and keeps them from falling out of the play-in bracket.
16. Golden State Warriors
Goal: Make the playoffs by avoiding the play-in
It’s been a long road for these Warriors to get to where they’re at. They currently sit in the 10-seed and hold a 1.5 game lead over Phoenix for the final play-in spot. However, their roster has been boosted and feels rejuvenated after adding Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline. In Butler’s four games on the Warriors’ active roster Golden State is 3-1. In those four games we’ve seen Steph Curry reach his old levels of efficiency, averaging 31.0 PPG while shooting 39.7% from three. Golden State goes as Curry goes, so if these numbers can stay elevated it could push Golden State up to the 6-seed. They’re 3.5 GB of the Clippers for that 6-seed, a very reachable mark for this new Warriors era.
15. Detroit Pistons
Goal: Make the playoffs
Detroit is well ahead of schedule and is in a remarkable turn-around after a dismal season last year. They’ve fought their way up to the 6-seed in the East while holding a 2.5 game lead over the Magic at the 7-seed. For Detroit, they don’t necessarily need to avoid the play-in to make this goal achievable. Rather, based off this turnaround, making the playoffs as a whole would be great. Oddsmakers had them up to +1500 to make the playoffs before the season began. Simply clinching a playoff spot, no matter the method, will be a remarkable achievement for this roster. The Pistons and their fans would prefer they avoid the play-in altogether, but the goal of making the playoffs is very reachable for this young squad.
14. Sacramento Kings
Goal: Don’t fall out of the play-in
After a wild ride this season with the firing of Mike Brown and the trade of De’Aaron Fox, it’s a bit remarkable the Kings still find themselves in a play-in position. With a 1.5 game lead over the Suns for the final spot, Sacramento can’t take their foot off the pedal. Between Golden State, Phoenix and San Antonio, all will be gunning for the play-in with high expectations. The Kings don’t have much room for error if they want to hold onto their spot. And with the second toughest remaining schedule it may be a tall task. To add fuel to the fire, Sacramento does not have a first round pick this season, pushing them even further into the direction of gunning for it. At the very least they need to make a run for the playoffs as missing the play-in entirely provides no benefits to the Kings.
13. Dallas Mavericks
Goal: Don’t fall out of the play-in
Similar to the Kings, they face quite a bit of uncertainty mixed with expectations after their massive Luka Doncic for Anthony Davis trade. AD currently doesn’t have a timetable for return, making Mavs fans even more anxious about the future of the team. On paper you’d expect Dallas’ new starting five to compete when healthy and it may make them dangerous in the short term, but from a long term perspective they may be facing tougher challenges. Regardless, fans are restless and the best way to cure that is to succeed in the playoffs. With that, they hold a three game lead over Phoenix in the 11-seed. That should hopefully be enough room for error for the Mavs to not slip out of the play-in as they cannot afford it at this point in time.
12. Los Angeles Clippers
Goal: Avoid the play-in
The Clippers are one of the more confounding teams to understand in terms of matchups. At times they’re dominant, at others they look incredibly pedestrian. You never fully know what you’re going to get out of them, which is why it’s all the more pertinent for them to avoid the play-in. Currently in the 6-seed, they hold a one-game lead over the Timberwolves for the top play-in spot. They’ve got the sixth best net rating since January at +5.7, though their record of 12-9 in that span seems underwhelming given the net rating. If LA can keep Kawhi Leonard and James Harden healthy, while Norm Powell continues to put up 20+ PPG, LA should be in a good spot to make a run in the playoffs. But they can’t take their foot off the gas if they want to avoid the play-in.
11. Milwaukee Bucks
Goal: Get the 4-seed or better
Right now Milwaukee trails Indiana by one game for the 4-seed. As it stands, this will be incredibly important for the playoffs as we’re headed for a likely Pacers vs Bucks matchup in the first round. Milwaukee has plenty of reasons to want to get to the four seed. First and foremost, it gives them home court advantage. They are much better at home (18-9) than they are on the road (11-15). Second, it helps them avoid the Knicks in the first round if they dropped to the 6-seed and let Detroit leapfrog them. They’ve got an advantage over Indy this season and you’ll want to have them at home to give you a better shot at advancing. Getting up to the 4-seed, though, may be tough as Giannis Antetokounmpo may be sidelined for at least two more weeks. They’ve struggled mightily without him and need to prove they can win without him. Chasing the 4-seed should be a good motivator for this squad.
10. Indiana Pacers
Goal: Get the 4-seed or better
Just as we discussed with the Bucks, the Pacers need to focus on getting the 4-seed to get them home court in the first round. Milwaukee’s dismal road record should be the main reason why this Pacers squad would want home court advantage. Should Detroit leapfrog Milwaukee it’d be even more important for Indy to have home court as Detroit’s been a solid road team this season with a 15-13 record. The Pacers won that season series over them 3-1, though, so they have an advantage at home against Detroit. They’ll see Milwaukee two more times in March and need to prove themselves in those games. Given they’re very likely to face either Milwaukee or Detroit in the first round, they should be doing all they can to get the 4-seed.
9. Los Angeles Lakers
Goal: Get the 4-seed or better while keeping LeBron and Luka healthy
We’re getting a bit repetitive here but it’s a key goal for teams sitting with a 4-seed or 5-seed. The Lakers currently have the 5-seed after the Jazz smashed them last Wednesday and putting a damper on the Luka Doncic high LA was on. Unlike Milwaukee and Indianapolis, LA’s potential playoff opponent is unclear as just three games separate them from the two-seed Memphis Grizzlies. The top of the West will be highly contested throughout the rest of the season, but the Lakers have a realistic chance to jump into a top four seed as they trail the Rockets by just half a game. And with a 13-14 road record compared to a 19-6 home record, having home court advantage in the first round will be huge for the Lakers.
8. Minnesota Timberwolves
Goal: Avoid the play-in
A nice win over the Thunder to head into the All-Star break certainly had Timberwolves fans feeling a bit better about themselves after going 4-4 in Julius Randle’s absence. Randle’s missed the past two weeks with a groin injury and it’s hampered the Timberwolves a bit. When their starting five is healthy they’re one of the tougher teams to face given their staunch defense. But they need to be healthy to be a threat. Avoiding the play-in will help provide some extra flexibility for the Timberwolves. They’re just one game back of the Clippers, giving them a tangible goal for this season. They won’t be in much trouble if they can’t avoid the play-in, but this will certainly be the preferrable route for Minnesota.
7. Houston Rockets
Goal: Get the 4-seed or better at all costs
There may be no more team who could benefit from home court advantage than the Houston Rockets. Their young roster is exceeding expectations and being able to play host to at least one playoff series would go a long way for them. Looking at regular season stats it’d seem like it wouldn’t be a problem for them to play on the road as they’re 17-12 away from the Toyota Center this season. But the playoffs are a different ballgame. We know their defense is going to bring it, but the offensive inefficiency will be exploited in the playoffs. To combat that, young rosters need home courts so guys like Jalen Green can be difference makers. A road series may not be a death knell for Houston but it won’t give them many advantages.
6. Denver Nuggets
Goal: Fight for the 2-seed
At 8.5 GB of the Thunder there’s no one in the West that will catch them. However, the 2-seed is going to be highly contested. Memphis currently holds a half-game lead over the Nuggets for the two seed, making this the tangible goal that Denver can work for. The Nuggets have the 2nd best net rating since January 1st with a +9.6 rating. Nikola Jokic is nearly averaging a 30-point triple-double with a 29.8 PPG, 12.6 RPG and 10.2 APG stat line, making another strong case for MVP. Denver’s also on an 8-game winning streak, mostly without Russell Westbrook and defensive stalwart Peyton Watson. Snatching the 2-seed to get a matchup with a play-in winner would be very beneficial for this Nuggets team.
5. Memphis Grizzlies
Goal: Hold onto the 2-seed
We’ve already stated just how hotly contested the fight for the 2-seed is going to be. For Memphis, it may be pretty crucial. At home they’re 21-6 and on the road they’re 15-12. The road record is still great, but given how dominant they are at home they would like to have home court advantage for multiple series. If they drop to the 3-seed or 4-seed there’s always a chance they don’t hold home court advantage again. With just a half-game lead over Denver, and just a three-game lead over the Lakers in the 5-seed, there’s not much room for error here. Memphis needs to keep their foot on the gas.
4. New York Knicks
Goal: Just stay healthy
For the Knicks it’s pretty simple: They’re likely going to be the 3-seed in the East. They are 2.5 GB of the Celtics for the 2-seed and they’re 5.5 games ahead of Indiana. The top seed is out of reach so it’s just a matter of if they can pass the Celtics or not. With out much risk of falling out of the 3-seed, they simply just need to stay healthy. OG Anunoby has been dealing with a foot injury but should be back in action shortly. The Knicks went 4-1 in his absence, showing their dominance even when one of their starting five is missing. But when healthy they’re a legit threat to win the East. Prioritize health and they’ll be in good shape to make a run this postseason.
3. Boston Celtics
Goal: Work on forcing more defensive turnovers
Boston is fairly set into being the 2-seed or 3-seed this postseason. They’re 2.5 games ahead of New York, so they can’t slack if they want the 2-seed, but they are 2-0 against the Knicks and beat them handily each time. They’ll likely hold a tiebreaker over them, making them a very likely candidate to remain in the 2-seed. With that, they’re doing a lot of things right and it’s hard to find reasons to ding them right now. The number one thing they can improve upon is forcing turnovers. From a season-long perspective, they rank 25th in forced turnovers. In February they rank dead last. It hasn’t exactly hurt them as they’re 5-1 in February, but it’s one thing that will make their 5th ranked defense (by defensive rating) even more formidable.
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Goal: Cut down on turnovers
Outside of a disaster, Cleveland is all but locked up into the top seed in the East. They’re 5-1 in February and aren’t really at risk of falling any lower. With that, they will check all the boxes for the main goals you’d expect (keeping healthy, for instance) along with trying to carve out a role for De’Andre Hunter, though he’s fit in pretty nicely for Cleveland in his two games active as a Cav. Instead, one thing Cleveland should focus on is reducing turnovers. From a season-long perspective it’s been one of their strengths as they have the third-lowest turnover percentage in the league. In February, however, they are the league’s sixth-worst team with a 14.7% turnover percentage. It may just be a blip in the radar, but come playoff time that number will need to be reduced as every possession matters. Cut down on the turnovers and keep up the incredible offensive efficiency and Cleveland may find itself back in the finals for the first time since the 2017-18 season.
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
Goal: Figure out the Chet Holmgren & Isaiah Hartenstein combo
As the top seed in the West, and our top-ranked team in the NBA, there’s not a whole ton to gripe about with the Thunder. Their eight-game lead over Memphis has essentially cemented them into the top seed, giving them tons of flexibility to work on things throughout the rest of the regular season. The mission that’s top of mind here is figuring out how best to make the Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein combo work. OKC has been able to trot out the duo in their starting lineup three times this season, leading to a 2-1 record. In that time they’ve played 49 minutes together and have a +27.4 net rating. That’s a small sample size, no doubt, but a very impressive number. As of now it’s worked more to where Hartenstein grabs the rebounds and Holmgren tallies up blocks, but OKC will need to find more ways to make this duo even more efficient. If so, they’ll find themselves in great position to win a title.
